February 14, 2014

Navigating a day like today can be a bit tricky when your girlfriends are talking about what their boyfriends/significant others (or whatever they are being called these days) have purchased for them as an expression of their affection.

Throughout today as you listen to their giggles, gushing and see them carrying balloons, boxes of candy or flowers through the halls at your school I want to encourage you to remember:

Your time will come: the man of your dreams isn’t a man yet—he’s still a boy or young man and he is learning important life lessons. He is being challenged by other men and shaped by God. You’ve not met him because he’s not ready for you, and you’re not ready for him.

Real love gives everyday: it’s not wrong to set aside a day to celebrate those you love—that’s a good thing. But real love isn’t confined to one day. Real love looks a lot like ordinary selfless sacrifice and service. Real love is carrying heavy laundry baskets downstairs, taking out the trash, working hard to provide financially, putting gas in the car, and getting milk on the way home because you forgot. A man who really loves does all these things and more everyday—not just one day.

Lip Gravy (Kissing) changes everything: there’s a natural physical progression in a relationship between a boy and girl, man and woman. The desires to be close and affectionate are God given gifts that bind us together. God gave us boundaries for our protection and for our blessing. Cross these too soon or outside of a life long commitment in marriage and your relationship will be in danger as will your heart. Saving your kisses and yourself will be difficult-yet possible, and it will keep your relationship from confusion, your heart from pain and God will bless.

Your beauty is multi-faceted: there’s not just one thing that makes you beautiful. Your appearance, character, intellect, purpose and vision for life, heart for God and others all work together to form you. The right man will be attracted to you in all your beauty, not one aspect alone.

Jesus’ Love Satisfies Fully: everyone loves imperfectly. You’ve seen some of your friends searching for the love they missed from their Fathers in the arms of boys. Only Jesus can meet the deepest love need in your life.

You Will Always be My Little Girl: for the rest of our lives we’ll remember days we spent together, bedtime stories, dancing in the living room, the special way we hold hands, watching football together in the big chair and those pictures you took (on my phone) of me while I was sleeping. Soon enough you’ll meet some guy, think he is great and bring him home to meet your mother and me. I know I can’t keep you always—but you’ll never stop being my little girl. And yes, I’ll cry at your wedding.